History of the AAN
Celebrating 75 years of service to neurology
Celebrating 75 years of service to neurology
The AAN, like neurology itself, has evolved over a rich and fascinating past since it was incorporated on March 13, 1948, in Minneapolis, MN. Now celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2023, we are excited to share how the Academy has transformed itself as it has responded to the unique needs of neurologists and neurology professionals in an ever-changing health care landscape.
Along with the biographies of each president, significant accomplishments during their terms, and revelatory interviews with key leaders of the AAN and the field of neurology, this page will host a monthly series of AANnews® articles that explore the circumstances behind the founding of the AAN and how it has supported its growing membership through the years in education, publications, science and awards, practice, advocacy, support for research, the AAN Annual Meeting—all the way up to the Academy’s response to a global pandemic and more. Check back often!
A growing collection of historical correspondence, photos, publications, and images of artifacts.
These images represent a sampling of the items that are now accessible via the AAN Digital Archive. The collection represents 75 years of AAN's history and will continue to grow over the months and years as more assets are added.
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
Sample of AAN Digital Archive Contents
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the AAN, AANnews is exploring the organization's rich history in a monthly series and Orly Avitzur looks back on AAN's history for Neurology® Journal.
AAN Annual Meetings Bring Worldwide Neurology Community Together
Pearce Bailey, MD, FAAN
1951-1953
Howard D. Fabing, MD, FAAN
1953-1955
Walter O. Klingman, MD, FAAN
1955-1957
Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN
1957-1959
Augustus S. Rose, MD, FAAN
1959-1961
Adolph L. Sahs, MD, FAAN
1961-1963
Joseph M. Foley, MD, FAAN
1963-1965
Charles A. Kane, MD, FAAN
1965-1967
Richard P. Schmidt, MD, FAAN
1967-1969
Sidney Carter, MD, FAAN
1969-1971
Joe R. Brown, MD, FAAN
1971-1973
Gilbert H. Glaser, MD, FAAN
1973-1975
Robert A. Fishman, MD, FAAN
1975-1977
Robert J. Joynt, MD, FAAN
1977-1979
Dewey K. Ziegler, MD, FAAN
1979-1981
Nelson G. Richards, MD, FAAN
1983-1985
Melvin Greer, MD, FAAN
1985-1987
Theodore L. Munsat, MD, FAAN
1987-1989
Lewis P. Rowland, MD, FAAN
1989-1991
Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, FAAN
1991-1993
Jack P. Whisnant, MD, FAAN
1993-1995
Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, FAAN
1995-1997
Steven P. Ringel, MD, FAAN
1997-1999
Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, JD, FAAN
1999-2001
Stanley Fahn, MD, FAAN
2001-2003
Sandra F. Olson, MD, FAAN
2003-2005
Thomas R. Swift, MD, FAAN
2005-2007
Stephen M. Sergay, MB BCh, FAAN
2007-2009
Robert C. Griggs, MD, FAAN
2009-2011
Bruce Sigsbee, MD, FAAN
2011-2013
Timothy A. Pedley, MD, FAAN
2013-2015
Terrence L. Cascino, MD, FAAN
2015-2017
Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN
2017-2019
James C. Stevens, MD, FAAN
2019-2021
Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN
2021-2023
Nothing brings history to life more personally than interviews with those figures who have helped make that history. In 2011, members of the AAN’s History Section began interviewing AAN members who have distinguished themselves during their careers for their contributions to neurology or for their leadership of the AAN—or both. In 2017, AAN staff began interviewing living past presidents to get their insights on the challenges and successes during their two-year terms. Additional interviews in the AAN’s archives also are being added to the list below. We share these interview transcripts so members can more fully appreciate the impact of these individuals and better understand the evolution of the AAN and profession of neurology.
Interview Subject |
Date |
Location |
Interviewer |
Notes |
A.B. Baker, MD, FAAN |
April 29, 1982 |
Washington, DC |
Maynard M. Cohen, MD, FAAN |
With Adolph Sahs, MD, FAAN |
April 12, 2017 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Tim Streeter |
||
August 1, 2012 |
Woods Hole, MA |
Christopher Goetz, MD, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
Includes photos and CV |
|
Robert B. Daroff, MD, FAAN Part 1 |
February 22, 2014 April 20, 2014 |
|
Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
|
Russell DeJong, MD, FAAN |
April 29, 1982 |
Washington, DC |
Robert D. Currier, MD, FAAN |
With Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN |
April 4, 2018 |
Philadelphia, PA |
Christopher J. Boes, MD, FAAN |
|
|
April 24, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
April 20, 2015 |
Washington, DC |
Michael S. Okun, MD, FAAN, and Lauren E. Klaffke |
|
|
December 8, 2011 |
Cleveland Heights, OH |
Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
Includes photos and CV |
|
August 28, 2008 |
Phone interview |
Tim Streeter |
Included as Appendix in above transcript |
|
December 9, 1997 to April 7, 1998 |
|
Edited by Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FAAN |
Correspondence with Robert B. Daroff, MD, and Lewis P. Rowland, MD |
|
Francis M. Forster, MD, FAAN |
April 29, 1982 |
Washington, DC |
Robert D. Currier, MD, FAAN |
With Russell DeJong, MD, FAAN |
April 22, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
June 9, 2014 |
Phone interview |
Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, MSPH, FAAN |
|
|
November 4, 2013 |
Gainesville, FL |
Heidi L. Roth, MD, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
photos |
|
April 22, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
With Roger N. Rosenberg, MD, FAAN |
|
August 10, 2012 |
St. Louis, MO |
Victor W. Henderson, MD, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
Includes photos and CV | |
January 12, 2015 |
Chicago, IL |
Kirk R. Daffner, MD, FAAN, and Lauren E. Klaffke |
|
|
December 2, 2011 |
Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Heidi L. Roth, MD, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
Includes photos and CV |
|
April 23, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
||
November 10, 2018 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
October 13, 2014 |
New York, NY |
Lisa M. DeAngelis MD, FAAN, and Lauren E. Klaffke |
|
|
April 27, 2017 | Boston, MA | Douglas J. Lanska, MD, MS, FSPH, FAAN, and Lauren E. Klaffke | ||
Joseph A. Resch, MD, FAAN |
January 29, 2008 |
Lauderdale, MN |
Tim Streeter |
|
June 29, 2017 |
Interview via email |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
April 23, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
November 18, 2012 |
New York, NY |
Steven Frucht, MD, and Barbara W. Sommer |
With Esther Rowland; includes photos and CV |
|
April 22, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
With Francis I. Kittredge, Jr., MD, FAAN |
|
July 11, 2019 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Tim Streeter |
||
Adolph Sahs, MD, FAAN |
April 29, 1982 |
Washington, DC |
Maynard M. Cohen, MD, FAAN |
With A.B. Baker, MD, FAAN; coming later in 2018 |
April 23, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
April 22, 2017 |
Boston, MA |
Tim Streeter |
|
|
August 26, 2013 |
Brookline, MA |
Kenneth L. Tyler, MD, FAAN, and Barbara W. Sommer |
Photos and information on the H. Richard Tyler Collection of the American Academy of Neurology Library |
The AAN President's Award is given by the president of the American Academy of Neurology for outstanding service to the AAN and the profession of neurology.